The CAT4 (Cognitive Abilities Test, 4th Edition) is GL Assessment's primary standardised reasoning assessment, used by secondary schools across the UK, Ireland, and internationally to measure students' developed abilities across verbal, quantitative, non-verbal, and spatial domains. Unlike curriculum-based tests, CAT4 measures underlying reasoning potential — the cognitive skills that predict academic progress across all subjects.
Our free CAT4 practice test PDF lets you print sample questions from all four batteries and work through them at home or in the classroom. Use it alongside our online tests to build familiarity with question formats, sharpen your reasoning speed, and understand how each battery is structured before test day.
The Verbal Reasoning battery measures a student's ability to think flexibly with words and language concepts — skills that underpin success in English, humanities, and any subject that relies on reading comprehension. It contains two question types. Verbal Classification presents three words that share a common category; the student must choose a fourth word that belongs to the same group. For example, three types of measurement unit might be given and the student must identify a fourth from five options. Verbal Analogies presents a word pair showing a relationship (such as part-to-whole or function-to-object) and requires the student to identify the word that completes a second pair following the same relationship. Strong performance on this battery relative to the others indicates a student who will respond well to word-rich teaching and extensive reading.
The Quantitative Reasoning battery assesses numerical reasoning ability — the capacity to identify patterns and relationships in numerical data — rather than arithmetic skill or curriculum knowledge. It includes three question types. Number Analogies follow the same logic as verbal analogies but use number pairs; students must identify the rule connecting each pair and apply it to a third. Number Series presents a sequence of numbers with one missing value; the student must identify the rule governing the sequence (which may involve addition, multiplication, or alternating operations) and supply the missing term. Number Puzzles require students to solve simple equations presented in a non-standard format, testing flexibility with numerical relationships. The Quantitative battery is a strong predictor of mathematical and scientific achievement.
Non-Verbal Reasoning tests the ability to think logically using shapes and visual patterns, deliberately removing any language or numerical bias. This makes it particularly informative for students who are English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners or who have specific learning difficulties that affect literacy. The battery contains three question types. Figure Classification presents three shapes sharing a common rule; students choose the shape from five options that belongs to the same group. Figure Matrices present a 2×2 or 3×3 grid of shapes following a visual rule — one cell is empty and the student must identify the correct completion. Figure Analysis shows a square piece of paper being folded and then punched; students must identify what the paper looks like when unfolded. This last type bridges into the Spatial battery and tests mental rotation and spatial transformation ability.
Spatial Ability is the newest battery introduced in the CAT4 revision and measures the capacity to mentally manipulate shapes and visualise objects in two and three dimensions — skills linked to success in design technology, engineering, architecture, and the physical sciences. It contains two question types. Figure Recognition requires students to find a given target shape embedded or hidden within a more complex figure; this tests selective attention and visual discrimination. Figure Rotation presents a shape and asks students to identify how it would look when rotated by a specified angle; unlike reflection tasks, only true rotation is tested. Combined Spatial scores that diverge significantly from the student's other battery scores can indicate gifts in practical and creative domains that more traditional assessments might miss.
CAT4 is published in eight levels labelled A through H, each calibrated to a specific year group range. Level A targets Year 3 and 4 students (ages 7–9), while Level H is designed for Year 12 and above (ages 16+). Most secondary school testing uses Levels D through G. The level determines not just the difficulty of questions but also the timing: younger students receive more time per question. Schools typically administer CAT4 in Year 7 at entry to secondary school and may repeat it in Year 9 or Year 10 to track cognitive development. The assessment is computer-delivered in most school settings, though paper versions remain available. Results are used to inform teaching and learning profiles, identify underachieving students whose reasoning scores exceed their attainment scores, and support admissions decisions at selective schools.
CAT4 reports results using Standard Age Scores (SAS), which are age-normed to a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. A student scoring SAS 100 is performing exactly at the average for their age group. SAS 85–115 is broadly average; SAS above 120 suggests high ability; SAS below 80 may indicate the need for additional support. Stanines convert the SAS into a nine-point scale: stanine 1–3 is below average, 4–6 is average, and 7–9 is above average. Schools use CAT4 profiles — comparing a student's four battery scores against each other — to identify areas of relative strength and weakness. A student with high Spatial and Non-Verbal scores but lower Verbal scores, for instance, may be a strong candidate for STEM pathways and may benefit from more visual-spatial teaching approaches in English lessons.
Want immediate question-by-question feedback before you use the PDF? Our CAT4 practice test covers all four batteries with detailed answer explanations. Use the online version to identify your weakest battery, then use the printable PDF for timed offline drills.